In this article we go through everything about your maternity letter. Regardless of your choice and how you approach a maternity letter, we hope we can give you some good advice and ideas of things to think about.

It can feel good to write down things that are important to you before you give birth. You can do this in the form of a maternity letter that you give to the midwives when you enter the delivery room.

How much you want to write down and how you want to prepare is entirely up to you. You know your needs best, so it can be good for you to write down what you want and how you want to be treated. Maybe you like to be in control of situations and be as educated as possible, or do you like to take things as they come? Regardless, it can be good for everyone involved to know what you expect.

Although you cannot influence everything in the birth itself, you can influence your approach to it.

If you are a person who tends to take things as they come, a maternity letter may feel superfluous, but it is good to think about what your expectations look like and reflect on your own approach.

Things that you could include in a maternity letter are, for example: if you want to receive a lot of information or if you want to focus on the birth itself; how you wish to be treated when you are in pain and what type of support you need in general; whether there is a particular position you would prefer to give birth in, or if you want specific pain relief; and if you have any particular concerns, such as losing control or a uterine rupture.

To make it a little easier for those of you wanting to write a maternity letter, here are a few points to consider:

• How do I react to pain? Is there any specific pain relief I want?
• What would my “dream birth” look like?
• What kind of communication do I want?
• What kind of support do I want?
• Is there a particular position I want to give birth in?
• How does my partner feel about the situation?
• Is there anything in particular that the healthcare staff need to know about my background (mental or physical) in order to best support and relate to me?
• How do I feel about breastfeeding?
• If you have given birth before: What would you like to change or add to this delivery?

It’s good to read up on your upcoming labour, but don’t be in doubt that your body can handle this and that the staff will be there for you. Read just enough and try to have an open mind, so you won’t be disappointed if things don’t go exactly as you planned. Not everything in life can be completely controlled and this definitely applies to childbirth – and there can even be something nice about it too! Try to have faith in yourself and the people around you.